President Trump laid claim to an idea that could help his promised wall along the Mexico border to turn a profit: solar panels. “I will give you an idea that nobody has heard about yet. The southern border: lots of sun, lots of heat. We are thinking about building a wall as a solar wall. So it creates energy. And pays for itself,” he told a campaign-style rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The scheme would lower the cost to Mexico too, he said, adding: “Pretty good imagination, right? My idea!” Mr Trump has discussed the scheme in private meetings with legislators but floated it publicly for the first time on Wednesday. Contrary to his claim, however, others had already raised the idea. Designs for the wall submitted to the US government in April by Thomas Gleason, a Las Vegas businessman, had solar panels powering lig hting, sensors and border patrol stations. The Department of Homeland Security has been inviting companies to submit plans, although Congress still has not allocated the funds needed to build the wall.
Times 23rd June 2017 read more »